Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-07-01
THE LOST MANUSCRLPT.


disturbed, almost distorted, 10y an unusual
expression of annoyance and disgust and
when his eyeglasses dropped from his nose,
as they had way of doing, he replaced
them with a kind Of vicious energy. His
desk was in state of chaos TO which he
had reduced it in u half hours search Of in
creasing vigor usually it was Il model of
neatness and order, every pigeon hole was
distinctly marked and dedicated to a spe
cihc purpose, and every paper lodged in
any one Of these carefully Disseminated
apertures was numbered, dated and deftly
folded. 1t was part of John Parker's char
acter 10 be orderly, and it was also the ne
cessity Of his occupation As the managing
editor of a popular magazine, which furnish
ed a large number Of readers with a month
" installment Of the best current literature,
he found himself in the vortex of whirl-
pool Of correspondence and manuscripts
that came in every morning with the buoy
ant energy of a hood-tide, and subsided
every afternoon with the languid reluc
tant movement of an ebb that always left
IA discouraging debris behind. There were
days when Mr.. Parker actually hated the
mail, and mentally wished that the govern
ment might come TO some temporary ruin
in order that the mails might be suspended
for n week But the wished-for disturbance
never came and the government continued
to perform its functions as letter-carrier
with deliberate regularity.
The work of conducting a large corre-
spondence was onerous enough, but it was
the reading of manuscripts which devoured
Mr.. Parkers time, consumed his mental
vigor, exhausted his patience, and kept
| him continually on the verge of resigning
his position They came from all quarters
ka
yond the seas they treated every possible
| theme in every conceivable manner, and
they exhibited every variety of penman-
ship from the formal precision of apparent
| copperplate to the free, bold hand which
scorned all the traditions of chirography.
When Mr.. Parker reached his Office in
the morning he exchanged the Prince AL
| bert frock coat which he uniformly wore
for a less pretentious garment, carefully
| adjusted his eye glasses, and seated himself
| at his desk with an expression in which RO
man forttude and Christian resignation
were happily mingled He proceeded tC
separate the heap of manuscripts which al
assistant had placed before him into three
smaller piles in one he collected all the
verse, in second all the stories, and in q
third all the miscellaneous contributions
Then he read conscentiously, verse tale
and essay, marked the larger number OF
each kind with an unhesitating and unmis
taxable r, noted the fact of acceptance or
one or two, and reserved few for further
consideration As a rule this work brought
him TO midday, and to the second chapter
Of his daily task.
At thirty, Mr.. Parker had already ac
quired an orderliness which had become
second nature and therefore he was un
| nj L haI
particular morning by his inability to fin,
a certain manuscript which he had read
folded and indorsed with his approval on
week before. In his endeavor to find it h
had thoroughly examined every part of hi
desk, searched every pigeon-hole, and now
flushed and little dusty, he was deliber
ating as to what he should do next. A
length he touched an electric bell at tn
side of his desk, and was Immediately con
fronted by a small boy.
Ask Mr.. Perkins to come here me
ment."
The boy disappeared, and was replaced
moment later by Mr. Perkins, who also wor
eyeglasses. and was one of the assistan
editors.
Good morning, Mr. Perkins. l am
good deal troubled because have mislaid
manuscript. 1t came about a week age
and was a very uncommon story. The It'll
was John Dolline's Quest. Do you reco
lect seeing it y
Mr.. Parker looked at the assistant edito
with the evident hope of an answer thl
would end his perplexity, but he was doom
/ ed to disappointment Mr.. Perkins had nj
. read the manuscript, and knew nothin
about it. Mr.. Parker thereupon, and yer
deliberately, examined his desk secon
| n
and down his Office few minutes in ev
dent vexation, and finally recovered hin
t self with an effort, rang for stenograph,
t | and addressed himself to his correspon,
I ence.
At half past four Mr.. Parker was read
&, 10 leave his office he had cleared his desl
o resumed his Prince Albert frock and W,
r. on the point of putting ON his light owe
G coat, when the boy brought him ear
r. He put on his glasses and looked at
+ suspiciously he evidently expected ne
i contributor.
y Miss Elnor Ferguson" he muttere
+ sotto rOce "who in the world is she Well
i speaking to the boy, who stood waiting
+ "show her iu"
s Miss Elinor Ferguson proved to be vel
h comely young person. simply but admirab
n dressed, and conveying by her quiet digr
= ty and composure full information as to h
( social traditions and surroundings. NJ
/ Parker was preeminetly person of tast
r he knew instinctively what was good, n
is only in quality but in form, and before
= had asked his visitor to be seated he hi
r given her the benefit of his unqualified a
Y proval The young lady hesitated a III
;, ment, as if the business in hand were ne
?, 10 her, but her voice betrayed no nervou
n ness when she said, noting the overcoat
a his arm;
:, Il will detain you only a moment.
Y learned yesterday that there was a vaca
d cy in your office, and, although have HI
e no experience in such position, l shou
2 like the opportunity Of trying to fill it."
5, Mr.. Parker instantly determined to pla
4, her at the vacant desk she gave him su
ID an impression of finish and completen,
As that he was sure she would do anythi
4 well
re THE place is not particularly desil
lt BILE one, he said, before answering her {
10 plication 1.-THE work is entirely cleric
n. and not very interesting, | fear"
"The nature of the work will not trout
me if can only do it, was the reassuri
h. reply of Miss Ferguson whereupon h
n Parker asked her TO come the next mol
- ing, and, in parenthesis, and as if it WI
~ a matter of small moment, mentioned
10 compensation she would receive. He h
~ the door opened as she passed out, and ii
followed her down stairs at a becomi
a. distance. More than once as he wall
Se up the avenue to his room, he question
~ ~ the wisdom of his speedy decision
"A whenever a doubt arose it was instan
~ confronted by that graceful and fin
~, poised figure, and was dissolved into d
at air. More than once, too, a shade of
~ noyance rested on his face at the thoul
or of the missing manuscript, but the S
of splendOr of the October afternoon and
in brilliant throng of carriages and pedes
ans crowding the avenue diverted his m
from his work, and made him keenly rec
tive of the movement and charm of
ne surroundings.
DIS The next morning, at the appointed til
ut Miss Ferguson was at her desk. Her tra
ey ing was Immediately evident she seen
ITS 10 know what was to be done by instiI
lat and needed no fuller direction than hi
as In week she had not only mastered
'r- details of her work, but by systematizat
had so reduced it that she asked for me
and had been assigned more difficult
"a, exacting tasks Mr.. Parker had brief
w terviews with her, and treated her v
ov the studious courtesy which he accorded
all women. He watched her work clos
-- and noted the fact that she was not q
exact, but showed general intellige
far beyond the requirements of her p
ton. Meanwhile the missing manusc
had not been found, and the editor was
coming hardened ON the subject whe
note, in delicate feminine hand, reac
him through the mail one morning, and
minded him that, though the sketch
been in his hands more than month
intmation of its fate had reached the W
er. Instantly Mr.. Parker's perplexity
turned, increased fourfold the sketch
impressed him as a very original and st